1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety release binding for a riding device and more particularly to a safety release binding for a monoski or snowboard (wherein both feet are supported on the same board). In addition, a novel brake for use on snowboards and other snow ski devices is described.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Safety release bindings are well known in the ski art, and their usefulness in preventing certain injuries is unquestioned. In addition, safety release bindings have been used on other types of riding devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,452 shows a releasable fastener for a skateboard, and U.S. Pat. 4,846,744 shows a releasable fastener for a sailboard. For these reasons, release bindings having the correct properties are of generic application even though they are most used in the ski art.
In all of these applications, it is important for the user to have control of the riding device, i.e. the ability to apply tilting and rotational forces to the device. This requirement is particularly important in the case of a snowboard or monoski, however, it is valuable in the operation of all riding devices.
Release bindings in use at the time of this invention are generally used in conventional skiing where two skis are used. In these applications, each ski boot is individually attached to each ski, generally at the heel and toe of the ski boot. Such attachment has the disadvantage of not allowing uniform release in all directions. Prior to this invention, monoskis or snowboards (wherein both feet are supported on the same board) are becoming popular, but the release bindings used in conventional skis have not been considered sufficiently satisfactory to appear in any of the initially marketed snowboards.
In addition to the control needs described above, it follows that the safest release binding would be one that could release in any direction without restricting the ski boot movement so as to minimize the chance of injury to the skier. To do so, a release binding must comply with certain principles of kinematics, that being the following: A rigid body has six degrees of freedom, three being translational movement about three mutually perpendicular axes, and the other three being rotational movement about each of these three axes. It becomes apparent immediately that with the style of release binding that secures the ski boot at the heel and toe, some of the degrees of freedom described are lost, thereby decreasing the protection against injury to the skier. It is not the purpose here to describe what degrees of freedom are lost in conventional devices because of the great number of devices reported. However, it is to be pointed out the releasability in all of the degrees of freedom are advantageous.